Residents stall Ganguly's proposed international school project

The residents in the downtown Salt Lake area on Friday stalled the construction of his ambitious English medium school project.

Residents who came out in large numbers from CA and DA blocks claimed that two educational institutions — Salt Lake School and Haryana Vidyamandir — already exist there and the proposed six-storeyed Wiffren International School of Ganguly would cause environmental hazards and create noise pollution as the area is very congested.

Total chaos

“There will be total chaos if another school comes up at the proposed site as the nearby roads are narrow and cannot be widened,” complained the angry people.

“6,000 students currently study in the two schools. If another 2,000 students converge in the area, where would the residents go,” the residents  asked.

At least,for once,the “Prince of Calcutta” lost his pre-eminent position in his home turf and had to retreat for the time being, reports here has said.

After assuring the miffed mob that he would not do anything that would add to the pollution, Ganguly reportedly said he would talk to the authorities of the two schools and the local administration for finding an amicable solution.

Not very far from the proposed school is Ganguly's sprawling Cricket Academy where the former India captain held a meeting with the agitated residents.

Thereafter, he drove to the Writers' Buildings, the state secretariat, to reportedly discuss the issue with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee.

International standards

Ganguly, however, denied having raised this topic during his meeting with the chief minister. He claimed that the new school will meet the international standards and be affordable to the middle and salaried class.

According to him, before leaving for London on Friday as part of his assignment as commentator for the Twenty 20 World Cup, he met Bhattacherjee with a pledge to arrange around Rs 50 to 60 lakh towards the relief and rehabilitation of the Aila-affected people in the state.

DH News Service